The 9 Best All-Inclusive Puerto Rico Resorts of 2020

Best Overall: Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Beach Resort and Spa

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With miles of golden sands on the beachfront and the jungle-clad mountains of El Yunque rainforest just a short drive inland, the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Beach Resort and Spa is excellently placed to provide an idyllic island vacation. The hotel has acclaimed dining venues, a full-service spa, a casino and two championship golf courses. Three pools offer ambiances ranging from relaxed calm at the Quiet Pool to games, activities and water slides at the Active Pool. Private cabanas are available for hire, both around the pools and on the beach.

The Ocean and River golf courses were designed by Tom and George Fazio and Greg Norman respectively, with the former offering ocean views from many of the greens, and the latter following the course of the Mameyes River with verdant tropical greenery. The Mandara Spa offers Balinese-inspired spa and beauty services in private treatment rooms, beachfront meditation huts, and steam rooms. Restaurants range from sophisticated steakhouses to casual beachside kitchens. Guests can play poker, blackjack, and roulette as well as a selection of slot machines at the casino while enjoying live entertainment.

Best Boutique: Parador Guanica 1929

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A small, two-story hotel built on the rocky shoreline of the Bahia Noroeste, the Parador Guanica 1929 gives a very different all-inclusive experience compared to the large resort-style properties found elsewhere on the island. Built in the fashion of a Spanish colonial mansion, the hotel offers calm, sedate surroundings, with well-manicured grounds filled with mature shady trees and an ornamental fountain, a pool courtyard with a lap pool and outdoor furnishing that include cast-iron benches and wooden rocking chairs.

Rooms are decorated in a traditional fashion, with beds dressed in colorful flower quilts and cast-iron headboards, but contain modern amenities including TVs, Wi-Fi, air conditioning, and microwaves. All rooms have private bathrooms attached.

Meals are served in the Ensenda restaurant, which has indoor and balcony dining areas and provides hearty breakfasts, healthy lunches, and dinners based around local seafood.

Although there is no beach directly in front of the hotel, several can be found in the area. The hotel offers excellent access to the unique landscapes of the Guanica Dry Forest. 

Best for Families: Caribe Hilton

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Situated on a rocky island on the outskirts of San Juan, the Caribe Hilton offers a relaxed and relatively peaceful atmosphere just minutes from the shopping and nightlife of downtown. There are three oceanfront pools with sun loungers and cabanas, as well as a dedicated kids’ fountain pool and two whirlpools. For guests wanting a swim in the sea, the hotel offers a sheltered sandy cove that is protected from the rough surf by a natural reef and man-made breakwaters.

A daily schedule of activities provides entertainment for all members of the family, from sandcastle building and limbo contests to pina colada tastings, yoga sessions, and Latin dance lessons. Parents can unwind in the saunas, steam rooms, whirlpool spas and relaxation rooms in the Zen Spa Oceano. Natural green tea, aloe, cucumber, coconut, and mango are featured in the products used during massage, exfoliation, body wrap, and facial treatments. Beauty services including waxing, manicures, and pedicures are also available.

Meanwhile, children can play in the games room or on the outdoor playground or explore the tropical gardens, with fish-feeding in the koi ponds and plentiful tropical birdlife to observe. Other family-friendly amenities include children’s menus and high chairs in the nine hotel restaurants and a babysitting service.

Best for Beachfront Rooms: Resort at Coco Beach

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Set in a peninsula jutting out into the blue waters of the Caribbean, the beachfront rooms of the Resort at Coco Beach offers sweeping panoramas of pristine beaches and uninterrupted ocean views. The ultimate choice of accommodation is the oceanfront villa, which comes with a private plunge pool on the terrace, a hydro massage bathtub and an outdoor living area with a dining table and daybed.

The two pools include the spectacular main poo with a graceful free-form design, ocean views and a swim-up bar with sun loungers and cabanas lining the edge. The hotel also offers access to two 18-hole PGA championship courses designed by Tom Kite. The Rainforest Spa contains nine treatment rooms, a sauna, a steam room, and hot tub and offers massages and other spa treatments.

Elsewhere around the resort, guests can enjoy non-motorized water sports, play tennis, basketball and beach volleyball or join in beach yoga and salsa classes. Dining options include the contemporary American steakhouse Prime 787 and the Asian fusion cuisine at Nori Asian Grill.

Best for Romance: Copamarina Beach Resort and Spa

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Occupying a secluded section of coastline in the south-west of Puerto Rico, the Copamarina Beach Resort and Spa couldn’t be in more of a peaceful setting for a romantic retreat. Guests can play in the water on kayaks, paddleboards, and Hobie cats. Under the waves, there are extensive coral reefs to be enjoyed with snorkels or scuba equipment, with professional instruction if required. Nearby beaches and forest can be explored on complimentary bicycles. The small spa offers massages, facials and beauty services, with the beachfront massage huts being a popular option.

The two hotel pools overlook the beach and whirlpool tubs come with towel service. Guests can finish the day by taking a sunset cruise on a private boat charter, followed by a farm-to-table fine dining experience at Restaurante Alexandra and cocktails overlooking the sea at the Las Palmas Bar.

Best for Singles: La Concha Resort

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Set in the heart of San Juan with excellent access to restaurants, bars, and nightclubs in the surrounding streets, La Concha Resort is a beachfront property at the center of the action. Three pools include the chill Sereno Pool, the high-energy, infinity-edged main pool with two whirlpool spas on the upper deck, and the exclusive adults-only Ocean Terrace Infinity pool, which includes the beachfront Marena club serving wines and botanical cocktails. There is also a state-of-the-art fitness center with views over the beachfront.

Although there is no spa on-site, the Spa at Condado Vanderbilt is just next door and offers the only Hamman experience in Puerto Rico, which includes moisturizing bubble rain and rosewater sprays as guests recline on heated marble tables.

A variety of dining options include the stylish, alfresco terrace restaurant Solera, the Komakai sushi bar and the Sereno beach bar and grill. In the evenings, guests can relax with cocktails at the lobby bar, try their luck on the tables and game machines at the 24-hour casino, or party the night away at the happening Fifty-Eight nightclub.

Best Luxury: Dorado Beach, a Ritz Carlton Reserve

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Built by Laurence S. Rockefeller on a former plantation estate in the 1950s, Dorado Beach has retained the historic colonial character of the buildings while providing modern styles and comforts inside the well-appointed suites and residences. The resort is set on 50 acres of lush grounds, filled with tropical plants that stretch along a coastline of wide sandy beaches and calm bays protected from the surf by rocky reefs.

Guests are encouraged to explore the natural world surrounding them on foot, bike or golf cart, with an 11-mile nature trail that winds along beaches and through pristine rainforest. A huge range of optional water activities includes kitesurfing, kayaking, and sailing. Two 18-hole golf courses offer a challenging set of bunkers, greens, and waterways, with some holes providing ocean views.

Two pools offer different experiences, with the beachfront Positivo featuring an infinity edge, private cabanas, and a relaxed atmosphere, while the Encanto Beach Club offers a livelier, family-friendly vibe. The Spa Botanico offers a full service in a beautiful colonial building and amid tranquil gardens, with medicinal herbs and flowers used to create custom poultices and oils used during treatments.

The flagship restaurant is COA, which offers gourmet dishes paired with wines from the largest cellar in Puerto Rico, while beach bars and grills provide casual, open-air dining opportunities.

Best for Golf: Hilton Ponce Golf and Casino Resort

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While only a few of the greens offer the expansive ocean views that other golf courses can boast, the enormous 27-hole championship course at Hilton Ponce Golf and Casino Resort more than makes up this deficiency with the excellent facilities and variety of playing conditions. The immaculate fairways built on a former sugarcane plantation wind between 16 man-made lagoons and a multitude of sand traps.

The course is also home to the first island green in Puerto Rico, providing an extra challenge to players of all abilities. There are also putting greens, chipping areas and a lighted driving range, with professional PGA instruction available to help guests improve their game.

Access to the course clubhouse is included in the green fee and contains a private beach area, a pool and a shop with golfing equipment and apparel. The resort also has a mini-golf course for the whole family to enjoy.

Other hotel amenities include several pools, including lap pools and a free-form main pool with a children’s slide, pool and ping pong tables and four restaurants, including the award-winning Puerto Rican cuisine at La Cava.

Best Eco-Friendly: Bahia Beach Resort and Golf Club

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Situated on 483 acres of a former coconut plantation, over 60 percent of the grounds at the Bahia Beach Resort and Golf Club are dedicated as a nature preserve, encompassing tropical forest, unspoiled beaches, and numerous lakes, all accessible from four miles of nature trails. The resort is noted for its eco-friendly credentials, having been awarded a coveted place on the Certified Gold Audubon International Signature Sanctuary member list because the golf course is dedicated to preserving the natural environment.

There is ample opportunity for exploring the natural surroundings from the Boathouse and Nature Center, from bike adventures, lakes with fishing and an inflatable aquatic playground, and guided nature walks with experienced biologists.

Closer to home, the resort offers several pools, including a multi-level freeform pool landscaped with tropical plants, outdoor tennis courts, the full-service Iridium Spa and a beach club with exclusive pools and bars. Paros Restaurant serves gourmet Greek and Mediterranean dishes, while Seagrapes offers an eclectic international menu in an open-air setting next to the beach.